Hi! So, just as a warning, I'm not that great of a writer, but I was recently inspired to write a fanfiction about Nightwing/Dick Grayson. I do know quite a lot about the Batman universe, but I might change a few details to adapt my story. Thanks for reading!
-Alex
Chapter 1
Cami stared out the window as the insistent rain pelted on it. It rained in New York, but New York rain was different from Gotham's rain. Gotham City's rain seemed sad and lonely, like tears of despair. She looked out the window as the train passed the outside borders of Gotham. The scene was a blur with varying colors of red and gray and black.
Camilla wondered how her father had been. He hadn't known about her existence growing up, but when she and her mother moved to Gotham, they had gotten along alright, as well as with her adopted sister, Barbara, whom she sometimes teasingly called Barbie. Although her whole family - well, what was left of it - was in Gotham, she hated the city. Hated it. Cami preferred her busy home city, New York. Her mother loved it as well, but in the end, Gotham City was the place that she wanted to be most. And that had killed her. He killed her -
She shook the dark thoughts away and took a shaky breath. Now was not the time to cry. Camilla looked around at her fellow passengers, her quick mind absorbing details and observing. The train was extremely crowded, and many people stood, hanging onto strap hangers. It was quiet, with few people chattering. A baby wailed suddenly, and it's mother tried to appease it. It was a normal scene for a crowded train, but there was one man, noticeably different. He was tall and bulky, taking up a lot of space.
Maybe it was the harsh glint in his cold, black eyes, but something wasn't right about him. Her nerves were tingling, and she got that strange sensation that -
The train lurched sideways. People shrieked as the lights went out, and the train was chaos. The lights flickered on and off, and it was deadly silent for a second as the people recalled what had just happened. There was no sound of a baby. A woman screamed, and once again the train car was a sea of madness.
Bang! Cami couldn't hear well over the noises the civilians were making, but she recognized the familiar sound of a gun. Everyone held their breaths as they turned to the source of the sound. It was the man with the black eyes, and he had shot straight up. The small hole where the bullet had hit whistled as the train sped on. Cami had to get to her bag, had to help before someone was hurt.
"Listen up!" the man said coldly. "Everyone give me every single piece of jewelry that you own, anything valuable, or I'll shoot." No one moved.
Bang! The civilians screamed as the man shot an old man, and his scarlet blood splattered over the train seats and floor. The killer smiled ruthlessly, revealing yellow teeth, and Cami saw his pale skin, his green hair. The taunting, creepy smile. Her breathing grew heavy and she blinked, and the train robber was himself again. She saw the old man slumped on the floor, and she tried not to think of his life. He probably had a wife waiting for him at home, his sons and daughters, and maybe even grandchildren. He had a job and a home and a life, and this cold-blooded killer killed him, shot him in the head. Anger and frustration flooded her.
Camilla had to think clearly. She calmed down as she averted her eyes from the murder scene. If she moved for her bag, the robber might try to think she was making a break for it and shoot her. If she didn't try to save the people, more could possibly be killed and the robber would get away with tons of money value. She tried to think. Train robberies were more uncommon today than in the past. Why? Trains moved slower back then. Robbers could get on and off easily. How would this criminal try to escape? Jumping off the train would be suicide, and waiting until the train stopped would end disastrously for him. This guy was cold and calculated. He must've had a plan.
She looked around. Women were taking off their necklaces and earrings, getting out their purses, etc, while men took off their wristwatches and moved for their wallets. They were like robots, stiff and numb-minded, but that was because they were scared. These people were helpless. She couldn't change into her other self. Instead, she would have to take him down as a brave civilian.
"Put your gun down, " Cami said calmly, staring at the man straight in the eyes. His eyes glittered like black diamonds, deep and dark. She could tell he was confused. After all, why would a common girl at gunpoint stand up to a murderer?
"Tell me one good reason why, babe, " he replied, sneering.
Cami sighed. She hated it when they thought girls were harmless.
She quickly disarmed him, giving him a quick punch in the face. He was shocked, no doubt, but quickly recovered. He threw a punch, and she ducked, but cursed herself for being too quick. Maybe she was being paranoid, but Cami couldn't give the people the suspicion that she was someone other than herself. The man grew more and more frustrated as she avoided his blows by just that much. The passengers watched with their eyes wide.
Cami studied his movements as he tried to kill her with his hands. He was, in fact, too dependent on his gun. His aim was sloppy, position too lazy, and, overall, an average street-fighter, with no training. He was no match for her.
Finally, the criminal's face was red with rage, and that was when Camilla striked. She kicked him in the stomach and continued to attack him without hesitation. She had learned long ago that reluctance was weakness and weakness was not something to display for your enemies. The background faded. It's just you and me, tough guy, Cami thought. She threw a quick punch to the nose as he tried to fight back and made an acrobatic flip across the train car, confusing him and leading him away from the rest of the people. Finally, a combo of punches, and he was unconscious.
The young woman lugged the man to the corner of the train, tying him with a rope she kept in her backpack. She left the gun out of his reach, and stared at him for a few minutes, satisfied with her work. He had a few bruises that would be black and blue in the morning. Then, she looked up at the civilians, who were on the other side of the train car.
"Thank you, lady, " a small boy said, giving Cami a toothy grin. The passengers finally broke the trance, thanking her and crying into their loved ones' arms. Cami routinely checked everyone for any immediate injuries, but other than a brief traumatizing experience, the passengers seemed to be grateful and teary.
This was the reason why Cami worked as a crime-fighter. Not for glory, but to see people with their husbands and wives and children and brothers and sisters. This was why Camilla Sarah Essen-Gordon was secretly the Raccoon.